Botony 101

Finished 5 week introduction to local plants offered by the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore.  I had the privilege of listening to the two individuals pictured above share their prodigious knowledge with a group of about twenty.  I was reminded of how much there is to know.  Maybe more importantly I was impressed with the ongoing work to maintain and expand the protection to the wonderful but fragile ecology of the area.

Transamerica #4

Well this my first post using the iPhone app I just added to my phone.  Today I stopped by my local bike store Buck's Bike Shop.  I’ve decided that I’m switching out the triple chain rings that came with the bike for one a bit more forgiving.  Before we get to the fabled dogs of Kentucky we’ll meet the crazy steep hills in Virginia! I’ve decided I’ll need every advantage I can get!  Funny thing is my buddy Steve had already been in to order the same thing!  This had been a topic of discussion during our Sunday ride.  Still hoping for some warmer weather so we can get more road miles in.  Spin class doesn’t do it!

Transamerica #3

Rode 72 miles today! 

Something to Learn, Transamerica #2

So today I'm puttering around the house.  I've re-checked some logistics for getting to Yorktown, VA to start the trail.  Although Amtrak could take us from Chicago to Washington, D.C. and accommodates bikes, the trip from D.C. to Yorktown (more accurately Newport News) would be torturous.  So I'm still stuck on renting a car at the airport in South Bend and driving to the airport in Williamsburg, VA.  It's about 9 miles from there to the Yorktown Victory Monument, the eastern terminus of the Transamerica Trail.  Along the way I ran across this video.  I don't pretend that our journey and this adventure have anything in common beyond the fact the the trip has much to teach us!